# Bengals vs Panthers prediction: what pundits picked

Week 15, 2026: Cincinnati Bengals at Carolina Panthers

Dec 20, 2026 · not played yet · 1 call on record · updated Aug 29, 12:44 AM ET

Who do pundits pick in Bengals vs Panthers? The one pundit with a call on record so far takes the Bengals. Every call is graded once the game is final.

Page: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/games/2026-week-15-bengals-at-panthers

Picks:

- The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) took the Bengals; said Aug 28, 2026; on The Rich Eisen Show (podcast); not settled yet

## How they come in

The Bengals are 6-2 and have won 4 straight; the Panthers are 3-5 and have lost 3 straight. On win totals, 11 pundits put the Bengals at 10.9 wins on average, and 12 pundits put the Panthers at 7.4 wins on average.

Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

- Cincinnati Bengals: 6-2, won 4 straight (240 scored, 175 allowed)
  - Last games: W 34-17 at Falcons; W 43-36 vs Titans; W 35-13 at Ravens
  - Unit ranks this season: offense 6th, defense 18th of 32
  - Last season: 6-11
  - Win-total calls: 11 pundits, average 10.9, 9 to 13 wins
  - The side most pundits took won 6 of 8 Bengals games
- Carolina Panthers: 3-5, lost 3 straight (199 scored, 219 allowed)
  - Last games: L 21-26 vs Broncos; L 19-27 at Packers; L 13-43 vs Buccaneers
  - Unit ranks this season: offense 13th, defense 28th of 32
  - Last season: 8-9
  - Win-total calls: 13 pundits, average 7.4, 2 to 17 wins
  - The side most pundits took won 5 of 8 Panthers games

## Players to watch

Each club's starting quarterback, leading rusher, receiver and tight end, and its sack and tackle leaders, with their 2026 regular season so far, with the latest call on each from a pundit ranked on the leaderboard whose record beats the naive pick, made since the 2026 schedule came out ("No." is that rank). Leaderboard: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/leaderboard

- [Joe Burrow](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/joe-burrow) (Starting QB, QB): 2,386 passing yards · 23 TD, 6 INT · 74.0% completions · 8 games; 2nd in the NFL in passing yards
  - No. 4 Bryan DeArdo, Nov 3, 2026: Joe Burrow to stay with Cincinnati Bengals (not settled yet)
  - No. 5 Tom Pelissero, Sep 18, 2026: Now they're going down to Houston. Joe Burrow's got a, you know, a little bit of a back issue, but I I fully anticipate him playing. (not settled yet)
- [Chase Brown](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/chase-brown) (RB1, RB): 397 rushing yards on 103 carries · 1 TD · 39 catches for 207 · 8 games; 23rd in the NFL in rushing yards
  - No. 8 Pat Fitzmaurice, Oct 21, 2026: Chase Brown to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
  - No. 12 Derek Brown, Sep 1, 2026: Chase Brown to outplay his draft cost (round two) (not settled yet)
- [Tee Higgins](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tee-higgins) (WR1, WR): 48 catches for 758 yards · 6 TD · 8 games; 5th in the NFL in receiving yards
  - No. 12 Derek Brown, Oct 9, 2026: I don't think Tee Higgins plays in this game because even with the side work, he's been listed as DMP for both days. (Week 5) (not settled yet)
  - No. 17 Nate Tice, Jun 22, 2026: Tee Higgins to be 2nd on the depth chart (not settled yet)
- [Mike Gesicki](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/mike-gesicki) (TE1, TE): 19 catches for 252 yards · 6 TD · 7 games; 101st in the NFL in receiving yards
- [Boye Mafe](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/boye-mafe) (Sack leader, DE): 5.5 sacks · 13 solo tackles · 8 games; 12th in the NFL in sacks
  - No. 23 Jordan Dajani, Aug 26, 2026: Boye Mafe to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
- [Jordan Battle](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jordan-battle) (Tackle leader, S): 36 solo tackles · 3 interceptions · 8 games; 14th in the NFL in solo tackles
- [Bryce Young](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/bryce-young) (Starting QB, QB): 2,197 passing yards · 16 TD, 6 INT · 60.4% completions · 8 games; 8th in the NFL in passing yards
  - No. 5 Tom Pelissero, Jul 17, 2026: Bryce Young: a roster call with no direction stated (not settled yet)
  - No. 36 Chris Brockman, Oct 5, 2026: Bryce Young to finish top 8 at his position, by an unstated measure (not settled yet)
- [Chuba Hubbard](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/chuba-hubbard) (RB1, RB): 619 rushing yards on 134 carries · 7 TD · 26 catches for 167 · 8 games; 10th in the NFL in rushing yards
  - No. 8 Pat Fitzmaurice, Aug 20, 2026: Chuba Hubbard to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
  - No. 12 Derek Brown, Sep 17, 2026: Chuba Hubbard to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
- [Tetairoa McMillan](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tetairoa-mcmillan) (WR1, WR): 46 catches for 625 yards · 3 TD · 8 games; 14th in the NFL in receiving yards
  - No. 8 Pat Fitzmaurice, Aug 8, 2026: Tetairoa McMillan to outplay his draft cost (Round 3) (not settled yet)
  - No. 12 Derek Brown, Sep 1, 2026: Tetairoa McMillan to fall short of his draft cost (a top 20 wide receiver price tag) (not settled yet)
- [Darren Waller](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/darren-waller) (TE1, TE): 23 catches for 299 yards · 4 TD · 8 games; 67th in the NFL in receiving yards
  - No. 18 Carter Bahns, Aug 28, 2026: Darren Waller to be cut (scored 0 out of 100)
- [Princely Umanmielen](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/princely-umanmielen) (Sack leader, LB): 3 sacks · 12 solo tackles · 8 games; 51st in the NFL in sacks
- [Devin Lloyd](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/devin-lloyd) (Tackle leader, LB): 2 sacks · 31 solo tackles · 2 interceptions · 7 games; 45th in the NFL in solo tackles
  - No. 4 Bryan DeArdo, Sep 23, 2026: Devin Lloyd to win Defensive Player of the Year (not settled yet)

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The room is counted in pundits, each one's latest call standing. Accuracy is out of 100; the naive pick is the home team.
The week: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/games/2026-week-15
Method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology